Montana § 7-33-2401 - Fire Service Area -- Establishment -- Alteration -- Dissolution

§ 7-33-2401. Fire Service Area -- Establishment -- Alteration -- Dissolution

Fire service area -- establishment -- alteration -- dissolution. (1) Upon receipt of a petition signed by at least 30 owners of real property in the proposed service area, or by a majority of the owners of real property if there are no more than 30 owners of real property in the proposed service area, the board of county commissioners may establish a fire service area within an unincorporated area not part of a rural fire district in the county to provide the services and equipment set forth in 7-33-2402 . (2) To establish a fire service area, the board shall: (a) pass a resolution of intent to form the area, with public notice as provided in 7-1-2121 ; (b) hold a public hearing no earlier than 30 or later than 90 days after passage of the resolution of intent; (c) at the public hearing: (i) accept written protests from property owners of the area of the proposed area; and (ii) receive general protests and comments relating to the establishment of the fire service area and its boundaries, rates, kinds, types, or levels of service, or any other matter relating to the proposed fire service area; and (d) pass a resolution creating the fire service area. The area is created effective 60 days after passage of the resolution unless by that date more than 50% of the property owners of the proposed fire service area protest its creation. (3) Based on testimony received in the public hearing, the board in the resolution creating the fire service area may establish different boundaries, establish a different fee schedule than proposed, change the kinds, types, or levels of service, or change the manner in which the area will provide services to its residents. (4) (a) The board of county commissioners may alter the boundaries or the kinds, types, or levels of service or dissolve a fire service area, using the procedures provided in subsection (2). The board of county commissioners shall alter the boundaries of a fire service area to exclude any area that is annexed by a city or town, using the procedures provided in subsection (2). Except as provided in 7-33-2120 (2)(b), any existing indebtedness of a fire service area that is dissolved remains the responsibility of the owners of property within the area, and any assets remaining after all indebtedness has been satisfied must be returned to the owners of property within the area. (b) A fire service area that consolidates with a rural fire district as provided in 7-33-2120 to form a new rural fire district is considered to be dissolved. A new fire service area formed by consolidating a rural fire district and a fire service area is subject to the provisions of this part.